Yup he's into the mycology.

mmm... Pseudo chicken fingers...

Wash carefully, Remove the thicker parts as they take forever to cook (those can be cooked in a broth for about 3 hours to get soft and have a mock chicken soup or something.)

Saute the smaller more tender parts in butter, add flavorings of your choice (Vinaigrette, BBQ sauce, more butter) and eat!

Once cooked they should have the consistency of a cooked chicken breast.

Serve in anyway imaginable. We made a mock chicken salad last year that was wonderful.

Keep that well hidden cuz freaks like me will raid yer fridge if yer not careful!

I found a recipe online for a chicken wild rice hot dish using COW.
it's gonna be the bomb..

"The wild rice harvest is well-managed in our state, so please seek out authentic wild rice for this meal-the flavor and texture is superior to cultivated varieties. (See Resources below. See also "Wild About Ricing," July-August 2004 Conservation Volunteer.)
Chicken-of-the-woods*, also known as sulfur-shelf, is a fall-fruiting, wood-decaying fungus common to Minnesota deciduous and pine forests. Growing on both live and dead wood, this species is a lethal tree pathogen that infects trees with brown rot. However, it is edible.
As with any new food--especially a wild mushroom--wisely introduce only a small portion to your diet. Most important of all, always eat chicken-of-the-woods well-cooked, never raw. Although there is no replacement for the chickenlike texture and bright color of this wild mushroom, you may substitute another mushroom, fresh or dried and reconstituted.
2 shallots, finely minced
1/4 c. butter
2 c. chicken-of-the-woods -mushrooms, cleaned and diced
1 c. hand-harvested wild rice, raw
4 c. chicken stock
salt and pepper
1/4 c. flat parsley, finely minced
In a 5-quart pan, briefly saute shallots in 2 T. butter over medium-high heat until translucent. Add mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes. In a 4-quart saucepan, melt remaining butter, add wild rice, and saute for 5 minutes. Combine with mushroom mixture and chicken stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover, fluff rice, add parsley, and if necessary continue heating on low to evaporate any remaining liquid.
*Information here is not complete for safe identification. Never collect wild mushrooms without expert knowledge.
"

derr.

i need to read more closely sometimes.

btw those are some fine specimens.

*wipes drool off of keyboard*

mmmmm sulphur shelf. i haven't found any of those this year, but i did find a whole bunch of chanterelles this year.

anybody have any good recipies for hazelnuts? I got a grocery bag full of them this year, looks like my white russian intake will be going up this year.

This is one that I modified to use hazelnuts - the original used almonds and while it was amazing, hazelnuts are a better fit. I made this for Thanksgiving last year and it disappeared very quickly.

Chocolate Cranberry Torte

16 oz cranberries
1/2 c. hazelnuts, ground (originally almonds)
1/4 c. flour
7 oz semisweet chocolate
4 oz butter
3 lg eggs, separated
1/2 c. + 1 TB sugar
1 tsp. whiskey (originally called for 1/4 tsp. almond extract)

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Cook cranberries with 1/4 c. water until mushy
2. Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler/bowl set over pan of simmering water
3. Beat egg yolks with sugar until light and creamy, then slowly add in the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add whiskey.
4. Beat egg whites with 1 TB sugar to soft peaks.
5. Fold flour and hazelnuts into chocolate/egg mixture.
6. Mix 1/3 of egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining egg whites.

Pour into greased tart pan and bake for 40 minutes or until firm. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve.

mmm that sounds great, I'm making it

Wow. Bacon Cinnamon Rolls.

My apologies to the veggies and vegans out there.

Dinner for one..

Step on:. Go to grocery store
Step two: Buy Food
Step Three: Pay for food
Step Four: Bring food to home
Step Five: Cry for exactly 2 hours straight
Step Six: Eat ramen alone.


ENJOY!!!!

Just found a nice sized Maitake or "hen of the woods" under the oak tree in my front yard. Can't wait to cook that sucker up, pictures coming soon. it's about a foot in diameter and maybe 8 inches tall, it's still growing, i'll probably pick it tonight or tomorrow night.

If you use any herbicide or fertilizer you might want to reconsider. Fungi has a way of absorbing that stuff and turning a tasty fungi treat into one way ride on the thunderbucket.

Otherwise sounds good.

thanks for the tip, really good to know(didn't know that), I don't use any herbicides, pesticides or fertilizer. my front yard is all native Minnesota plants, mostly wildflowers. I also had some Boletes in my back yard this year but i couldn't fully identify them so i didn't eat them.

random but hey, this is my favorite dish
throwin' it out there.

Bake Ziti

Ground beef (how much you want?)
1 green pepper
1 med. onion
some of those one ziti/rigatoni noodles
black pepper
olive oil
pasta sauce

1) put the ground beef on stove (med flame) and fry it. stir it periodically (every 4 minutes maybe)
2) slice a green pepper and onion.
3) put it in the cooked thing of beef in the pan that stills heatin'
4) throw in some black pepper
5) boil some water for the amount of noodles you're gonna use
6) put sauce on beef pan (put on low/medium flame)
7) put noodles in pot when water breaks to a boil
small pour of olive oil in noodles (stops it from sticking)
9) turn off sauce when its done simmering (almost breaks to boil)
10) drain noodles and put it in a baking pot
11) pour beef sauce on
12) um I sorta forgot, put some ricotta and mozzerela in there.
13) simmer for 10 minutes at 375

we made a chicken wildrice hotdish.
soo good subbed the chicken with the chicken..... of the woods.
so tasty.